bombard
gb/bɑmbˈɑɹd/ us/bɑmbˈɑɹd/
B2
English
Senses
0 senses
Verb
B2
action
1
attack with bombs or shells
to attack a place many times with bombs or shells
Usage pattern:
bombard [place/position] (with [bombs/shells])
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use *bomb* when they mean repeated attack; *bombard* emphasizes many attacks over time.
Synonyms
shell (Often specifically with artillery shells.)
|
pound (Informal; emphasizes heavy, repeated attacking.)
|
attack (More general; may not imply repeated explosive fire.)
Antonyms
defend (To protect rather than attack.)
|
ceasefire (To stop fighting, including bombardment.)
Collocations
bombard a city
|bombard the coastline
|bombard enemy positions
|bombard targets
|bombard the capital
|bombard a fort
|bombard a base
|heavily bombarded
|bombard with artillery
|bombard with shells
Themes
military
|war
|violence
|news
Examples
- The navy bombarded the coastal town for hours before troops landed.
- During the conflict, the capital was bombarded almost every night.
- The fortress was bombarded with heavy artillery.
Learner examples
- They bombarded the city with shells.
- The town was bombarded during the war.
Verb
B2
action
2
overwhelm with questions or messages
to give someone too many questions or messages at once
Usage pattern:
bombard [someone] with [questions/emails/requests/criticism]
Common mistake:
A common pattern is *bombard someone with something* (not *bombard to someone*).
Synonyms
deluge (Stresses a flood-like quantity.)
|
inundate (More formal; emphasizes being covered/overwhelmed.)
|
pester (Emphasizes annoyance, not necessarily quantity.)
Antonyms
spare (To avoid giving someone something unpleasant or excessive.)
|
withhold (To hold back information or requests instead of sending many.)
Collocations
bombard someone with questions
|bombard someone with emails
|bombard someone with texts
|bombard someone with requests
|bombard someone with calls
|bombard someone with criticism
|bombard someone with complaints
|bombard someone with information
|bombard someone with ads
|be bombarded by the media
Themes
communication
|work
|media
|emotions
Examples
- After the announcement, reporters bombarded her with questions.
- Customer support was bombarded with complaints after the update.
- I’ve been bombarded with emails all morning.
Learner examples
- He bombarded me with questions.
- We were bombarded with messages.
Verb
technical
C1
action
3
hit continuously with small particles
to hit something again and again with many tiny particles
Usage pattern:
bombard [surface/material] with [particles/rays/ions]
Common mistake:
In science writing, *bombard* is often passive: *is bombarded with*.
Synonyms
irradiate (Specifically with radiation; not always implying impacts by particles.)
|
blast (Less precise; emphasizes strong force rather than many impacts.)
Antonyms
shield (To protect a surface from incoming particles or radiation.)
|
insulate (To reduce the effect of external forces/energy.)
Collocations
bombard a surface with ions
|bombard with electrons
|bombard with neutrons
|bombard with radiation
|bombard atoms
|bombard the target
|particle bombardment
|ion bombardment
|bombard the sample
|bombard the material
Themes
science
|technology
|physics
Examples
- The researchers bombarded the sample with ions to change its surface properties.
- In the upper atmosphere, molecules are bombarded by high-energy particles.
- The target was bombarded with neutrons during the experiment.
Learner examples
- The surface was bombarded with particles.
Noun
archaic
C2
entity
4
large medieval cannon
an old, very large cannon
Usage pattern:
a bombard
Common mistake:
Do not confuse the noun *a bombard* (an old cannon) with the verb *to bombard* (to attack repeatedly).
Synonyms
cannon (General term; does not specify the early short-barreled type.)
Antonyms
small arm (A handheld weapon, not heavy artillery.)
Collocations
a medieval bombard
|siege bombard
|massive bombard
|a wrought-iron bombard
|fire a bombard
Themes
history
|military
Examples
- The museum displays a fifteenth-century bombard used in sieges.
- The defenders feared the bombard more than the smaller cannons.
- Historical records describe a bombard capable of firing huge stone balls.
Grammar
Dictionary form
bombard
IPA
GB/bɑmbˈɑɹd/
US/bɑmbˈɑɹd/
Syllables & stress
bom - bard (2 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (bard)
Word forms
Verb
- Base: bombard
- 3rd Person Singular: bombards
- Present Participle: bombarding
- Past: bombarded
Word family
Forms
bombards
verb
bombarding
verb
bombarded
verb
Core family
bombardment
noun
Related words
bomb
noun B1
Advanced or less common
bombardier
noun
Expressions
No expressions linked to this entry yet.